Chapter 1242 – The Storm Approaches (Part Three)
The territory under Jiang Pengji was shrouded in an atmosphere of brewing storm; the training sessions became increasingly rigorous each day. Everyone speculated when she would finally strike against Huang Song.
As the others eagerly awaited her move, little did they know, Jiang Pengji was far more patient than they anticipated.
The external chaos did not affect the ambiance within the academy, where the cheerful sounds of reading continued to echo.
At Jiang Pengji’s suggestion, the Golden Scales Academy had established a rule to enroll new students every spring.
With the adults busy with spring sowing, a batch of little radish heads managed to sneak through the selection process to join the latest students at the Golden Scales Academy.
Apart from the newest first-year students, several “transfers” also joined other grades.
No matter how much Mrs. Han opposed it, Han Yu still sent three eligible children to the Golden Scales Academy. He had three sons and one daughter; his eldest legitimate son and the bastard second son had already undergone several years of enlightenment, while the oldest daughter was one year younger than the second son. The youngest legitimate son was merely two years old and could only babble. Sending all three children to the academy almost gave Mrs. Han a fainting spell!
The academy’s Teacher took half a day to assess the knowledge of the three children.
Han Yu was particularly attentive toward his eldest legitimate son, whom he had personally tutored at home before sending him to Mrs. Han’s family school for further education.
Although the second son wasn’t as prioritized as the eldest, he too had impressive foundations through lessons from a renowned old Confucian.
The only daughter was also taught by a female teacher; while her results weren’t as outstanding as her two brothers, they were still commendable.
One by one, the Teacher evaluated them and placed them into three different classes.
Han Yu’s eldest legitimate son was in the same class as Feng Yi, where the main teacher was none other than Mr. Yuanjing.
“What’s your name?” Mr. Yuanjing asked as he led the child away to the classroom.
“I am Han Run, greeting you, Teacher.”
As Han Yu was Mr. Yuanjing’s disciple, the child naturally addressed him as “Teacher.”
“You can call me Teacher in private, but here at the academy, I am your Teacher,” Mr. Yuanjing said, quite fond of Han Run. The boy’s brows and eyes bore a striking resemblance to Han Yu in his youth, yet his temperament was like that of two different extremes. “Your father is busy with state affairs and may overlook your studies. If there’s anything you don’t understand, be sure to ask your fellow teachers; they will help clarify.”
Han Run’s little face showed some hesitation.
“If I call you Teacher, isn’t that wrong in terms of generation?”
Wouldn’t that mean he and his father weren’t of the same generation?
Mr. Yuanjing chuckled, “That isn’t a generational error. Who says I can’t teach you after teaching your father?”
As a new student, it would seem unusual for Han Run to call Mr. Yuanjing “Teacher.”
Most of the academy’s students came from less prestigious backgrounds than him, so being peculiar might make it difficult to bond.
Han Run nodded obediently and followed Mr. Yuanjing closely.
Mr. Yuanjing arranged Han Run’s spot next to Feng Yi, hoping that Feng Yi could help him better adapt to the unfamiliar environment.
When Feng Zhen got married, Han Run had accompanied his father to the Feng residence, and he remembered Feng Yi clearly as a peer.
Now, as classmates sharing a desk, he felt quite pleased.
The teaching mode and environment of the Golden Scales Academy were vastly different from the family school, and Han Run initially struggled to adapt.
Fortunately, Han Yu was strict with him regarding his studies, and with solid fundamentals, keeping up with the coursework wasn’t difficult.
By the end of the day, Han Run felt like he had opened the door to a new world.
Mornings were usually filled with cultural classes, while afternoons were dedicated to horsemanship and martial arts.
Before he knew it, the sun dipped below the horizon.
Han Run noticed Feng Yi packing his books away.
“All packed?” Feng Yi asked him.
Han Run was startled; this was the first time Feng Yi had spoken to him.
Influenced by his mother’s personality, Han Run was somewhat shy and reserved, but unlike Sun Lan’s innocent nature, he had a tendency to proceed with caution. He didn’t dare to start a conversation, yet unexpectedly, Feng Yi initiated one—
Han Run replied, “Yes, all packed.”
Feng Yi continued, “I heard you have a few siblings also attending the academy?”
Han Run pressed his lips together and replied, “Yes.”
Feng Yi suggested, “Great! Let’s go pick them up and head home together.”
Han Run’s eyes held a hint of confusion.
“Pick them up?”
Feng Yi explained, “The Golden Scales Academy isn’t located in the residential area. While it’s not in a remote location, it’s bustling with people. Since the students are still young, it’s easy for unscrupulous adults to abduct them. You’re new students and don’t know the way back, so I’ll escort you.”
Han Run seemed about to voice his thoughts but swallowed them back down.
He had always wondered why they couldn’t just have the household servants drive them instead of walking and making it easier to encounter danger?
Feng Yi comfortingly stated, “As long as there are protectors around us, there’s no need to worry about danger.”
Han Yu’s residence was the nearest, so Han Run and the other two were sent home first, followed by Qi Guan Jinghui and Sun Lan.
Changsheng was the last to be picked up.
“I asked just now, Han Run and his younger brother are only five months apart—”
Feng Yi said, “That’s because the other one is illegitimate and not born of the same mother.”
Changsheng remarked, “No wonder they walked so far apart, it’s not at all intimate.”
Feng Yi said, “If the legitimate and illegitimate children are close, that’d raise a red flag.”
“Aren’t they brothers?”
Feng Yi chuckled, “Brothers can have different situations. Han Run is a good kid; he has no ill feelings toward that illegitimate brother, but the other way around might not be true. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate is as vast as a chasm; one is legitimate, while the other is not, making the difference stark.”
Changsheng asked, “If in the future, Uncle Feng has more children and bears a younger brother, would he also be an illegitimate child?”
“No, that’s a legitimate birth! He would be my real brother!”
Changsheng thought to himself, puzzled.
“Sigh, so hard to understand—”
Feng Yi assured, “You’ll understand when you grow up.”
After walking a few steps and tiring out, Changsheng decided to have Feng Yi carry him.
“Will you also have illegitimate children in the future, Brother Feng Yi?”
Feng Yi laughed, “No, only legitimate ones.”
Since this was Han Yu’s eldest legitimate son’s first time attending the Golden Scales Academy, Han Yu deliberately waited at home.
“How was the academy?”
Han Run blushed and answered, “The academy is great! The classmates are also nice.”
Though he had only attended for one day, Han Run could clearly discern the differences between the academy and family school. In family school, teachers struggled to attend to all students’ academic progress; being an outsider, Han Run often found family teachers prioritizing the legitimate members of the family first. Therefore, any issues he had to keep bottled up until he could either find his father or discreetly approach a teacher about it, which made the progress slow, despite it not being an unhurried pace.
At school today, Han Run found that among his twenty-plus classmates, their learning progress was quite uniform, and the content covered by the teachers was fitting for them.
Han Yu listened attentively as his son recounted his day at the academy, feeling a sigh of relief.
“If you encounter any difficult problems at the academy, remember to ask your teachers or the eldest son of the Feng family; he’s quite good. I will be very busy from now on, so if you feel wronged, don’t keep it to yourself.”
